Amusement apparatus



' F. SABOT AND A. SCHALK.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION EILED JAN- 27' I921.

1,41%?1 1., v PatentedApr. 1111, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lmgog F. SABOT AND A. SCHALK. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1592].. I 7 1D Patented Apr. M, 1922.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

E. 2 l i & 1 #6 y i EH 1 0r 8 1 M I 1 action of the tongues -or switchesfor idiiliTiEiD S FREE 018 SABOT AND ALBERT SCl- IALK,

AMUSEMENT Application filed January 27, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS SAno'r and ALBERT SGE-IALK, citizens of theUnited States, and both residents of Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement inAmusement Apparatus, of which the" following is a specification;

The object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for amusement"which shall combine the elements of a railway with rotary motion havingresemblance to the principles of a merry-go-round, so that there is asensation of travelling in a circular course with minor irregularmovements and preferably with a reversible direction of travel atintervals.

Our invention consists of an apparatus having a pair of sinuous guideslots crossing each other at intervals and forming generally circularcourses combined with vehicles guided along the said sinuous slotsacting as guideways and said vehicles propelled along the said slots bymeans of notched wheels arranged in a circle and adapted to transfer thevehicle from wheel to wheel to cause it to travel about a central point,and said guide slots provided with guiding tongues or switches whichcooperate with the slots and wheels to insure the proper direction oftravel ofthe vehicles, whereby the vehicles may travel about'the centralpoint, but at the same time move in a sinuous course. Furthermore, ourimprovements comprehend the employmentof means for shifting the positionof the tongues or switches automatically for putting the two sets ofsinuous slots alternately in operation for guiding the vehicles andcausing thereby a change of direction of travel.

The invention also consists in manually operated means for shifting thetime of the purpose of reversing the direction of travel of the vehiclesalong the sinuous slots.

Our invention also consists of improvements hereinafter describedwhereby the above objects and results arev attained, said improvementscomprising certain organization and combination of parts which are fullydescribed hereinafter and more par ticularly defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an amusementapparatus embodying our improvements, and having portions of the upperfloor broken away for Specification of Letters Patent. I

0F PI-IILADELPHLA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEPARA-TUS.

Patented Apr. 111, 1922 Serial no. 440,297.

showing. interior parts; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improvedapparatus showing the foundation in sections; Fig. 3 is a sectional sideview taken on the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but with the vehicleshifted somewhat more to the right; Fig. 4: is a perspective viewillustrating the mechanism for causing the shifting of the tongues forinducing a reversal in the direction of travel of the vehicle; Fig. 5 isa perspective view illustrating a series of propelling wheels; Fig. 6 isa plan View of one of the propelling wheels';Fig. 7 is a rotaryreciprocat-ory plate having the inner tongues; and Figs. 8 and 9respectively show asection and perspective view of a modification.

2 is the base frame of the machine and may rest upon a suitable concretefoundation. Secured to the base frame and extending upwardly are aplurality of studs 3' tinuous circular train, so that they alternatelyrotate in opposite directions; that is to say, all of the wheels 16rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation of the wheels 17.Furthermore, in the preferred construction, the wheels 16 and 17 havetheir perimeters beveled as respectively indicatedat 20 and 19,'the saidbevel portions overlapping each other though not intended for purposesof causingthe wheels to be propelled, but are intended enable thenotched portions 21 of adjacent wheels 16 and 17 being brought intoalinement, so that the vertical pin 29 of the vehicle 26 (Fig. 3) willat certain spaces in its travel be engaged by the notches 21-of both thewheelslG and 17, that is to say, at the time of transfer from thecustody of the wheel 16 into the custody of wheel 17 and vice versa. Itis manifest that this overlapping of the wheels 16 and 17 might be madein any other suitable manner, such as giving to each of them the maximumdiameter and arranging them slightly one above the other so that theyoverlap and would in each case be adapted to act upon the downwardlyextending pin 29. The bevel itself is a mere incident to permit theoverlapping of the wheels 16 and 17 while permitting them to remain inthe same plane.

The train of gears 18 may be driven by means of a gear 22 (Fig. 2) whichis driven by bevel gears 23 and shaft 24. having fast and loose pulleys25. I

' Secured to the top of each one of the studs 3 is a circular coverplate a having a diameter which less than the maximun'i diameter of thewheels 16 and 17, so that the notched or'bevel portions 19 and 20 ofsaid wheels will project beyond these circular table portions l.Arranged centrally of said circular table portions is a central tableportion 6, the same being rigidly supported upon thestud '7 and theperimeter of this central table portion 6 is scalloped so as tocooperate with the circular table portions 4, as clearly indicated inFig. 6, and provide between it and the circular table portions curved orse1nicircular slots or channels. Similarly there is arranged outside ofthe series of circular table portions 4 an annular table por tion 5which is also scalloped, but the seallops are on .the inner edge{ and incooperating with the circular table portions l provide curved orsemicircular slots or channels. .T his table portion 5 may be supportedin position relatively to the base 2 in any suitable manner, so long asit is stationary.

all of the parts 4:, 5 the relative arrangements thereof provide aplurality of circular slots 8 which intersect and because theyintersect, the alternate inner and outer semi-circular portions may beconsidered as composing a sinuous slot and in this manner provide twosinuous slots crossing at intervals, as indicated at 8, in Fig. 1. i

'26 are vehicles provided with circular seats and having at their lowerparts a down wardly extending pin 29 and two flanges 28 forming betweenthem an annular groove 27 which extends through the sinuous slottedportions 8 in the table, the pin. 29 extending downwardly into thenotches 21 of the wheels 16 and 17, all of which will be understood byreference to Fig. 3. By reason of this construction, it is manifest thatthe downwardly extending pin portion of the vehicle may be moved alongthe slots 8 and will be positively moved therein in a sinuone courseunder the action of they notched wheels 16 and 17 but to insure the saidpins travelling a sinuous course instead of a'circu lar course in thecustody of the said wheel 16 or 17, we provide suitable'tongues 9 and 12which act as switches to insure a positive traverse of the pin from thenotches of wheel 1.6 to the notches of a wheel 17, and from said and 6are stationary and I tion of said tongues,

wheel to the next wheel 16 and so on. The tongues or switches 9arearranged between every alternate pair of wheels 16 and 17 and areintegral. with a plate 10 pivoted upon the central stud 7, so that itmay oscillate thereon to throw the tongues 9 toward the wheels 16 ortoward the wheels1'7, as may be required. From this it will be seen thatwhere there are eight wheels, there are four of these tongues9. Theplate 10 is oscillated by means ofa pivoted lever 30' pivoted at 31 tothe underside of the stationary floor 5 and having one end hinged to theplate 10 at 32 and the other end hinged at33 to a link 414 which is alsoconnected to one end of a lever 42 having a fulcrum ata3- and having itsother end connected with the circular ring 14 at 38 by a linkAlS. Ashifting of the ring 14 will cause the plate 10 tobe oscillated. Inaddition to the tongues9, there are four tongues 12 and these arearranged between the wheels 16 and 17, but spaced with respect to themso as to be located alternately to the tongues 9, as will be clearlyunderstood The tongues 12 are by reference to Fig. 1. extensions oflevers 11 which are pivoted by means of the upright shafts 13 and theouter ends of these levers aforesaid ring 14:. It will now be manifestthat if the ring is shifted, the tongues 12 will be shifted. in the samedirection and will be simultaneously moved, and similarly the tongues 9will be simultaneously shifted, but in such shifting the tongues 9 and12 will be. simultaneously shifted. in oppositeidirections, for reasonswhich will presently ap- 1 pear.

By this shifting of the tongues, it is manifest that the two vehicles 25will followone of the sinuous slots in the same direction indicated bythe arrows when the wheels 16 and 1? are rotated. They will traverse thesame sinuous slot 8 and travel around the center)? with a clockwisegeneral movement. If, however, one of these vehicles 25 be repositioned,as indicated in dotted lines 25, then the travel of such vehicle will bein the opposite sinuous slot and will be propelledtherein in the generaldirection. around the center 7 contra-clockwise In this manner, two ormore vehicles may be simultaneously caused to travel in opposite generalcircular direcare hinged at 15 to the tions about the center 7, and asthe diameter of the vehicles is less than the diameter of thewheels 16and 17, such vehicles may pass each other without contact. As many ofthe. vehicles, as desired, may be employed, provided the maximum numberdoes not exceed the number of propelling wheels 16 and 17.

In all cases, the direction of the travel of the vehicles is such thattheymove in the slots toward the points of the switch tongues 9 and 12,and by reason of the posithe pins 29 of the vehicles are properlydirectedinto thesuccessive portions of the sinuous slotted passages.These tongues are, moreover, caused tobe shifted at every halfrevolution of the wheels 16 and 17, so as to insure the proper directingof the pins 29-ofthe respective vehicles. For example, referring. to thelowermost vehicle 25 of Fig.- 1, the rotation of the wheel 17 and tongue9 immediately below the vehicle will, cause the vehicle to travel,alongv the slot adjacent to the center 7 and before thepin29 reaches thejuncture with the next wheel 16, the tongue 12 will have shifted so thatthe pin 29 will be guided in the outer segment of the sinuous slot andso on throughout the course. On the other hand, if a vehicle suchasindicated in dotted lines were simultaneously in operation, its pin 29would be carried along the outer segment of the other sinuous slot for ahalf revolution of the propelling wheel 17, and by the shifting of thetongue 9, its travel will be continued on theinner'segment of the saidslot, provided above the next adjacent wheel, 16.

Referring now to the means for shifting the tongues 9 and 12 alternatelyat every half revolution of the wheels 16 and 17, we provide thefollowin devices. Secured to one of the driven. w ieels 17' orin anymanner rotated therewith, an eccentric 35 which operates an eccentricarm 36 having atits outer end a vertical pin 37 engaging a slot 3% ina-casting 374:, said casting secured to one of the vertical shafts 13for operating one of the switch tongues 12. The position of this pin 37in the slot 3 1 is insured by a link 88' and a control lever 39 having adetent or locking device 40, engaging the notched segment a1; in theposition shown in Fig; 1, it will be seen that when the. eccentric makesa, half revolution, the tongue 12 willbe shifted from its presentposition over the wheel 16 to a position to the right over wheel 17 Thisreciprocating of the tongue 12 will take place with the continuedrotationof the eccentric to the wheels. As before. pointed out, theconnection of the tongues 12 and 9 with the outer ring it will not onlycause the said ring to be given a rotary reciprocating motion, but theconnection of the plurality of levers 11 having the tongues 12 beingconnected to the said ring will simultaneously be shifted, and likewise,all of the tongues 9 being formed on the same plate 10, will, throughthe connecting device with said plate and ring 1 1, be simultaneouslyshifted, but in acontrary direction to the tongues 12, as beforeexplained. As it is desirable to heighten the pleasure of the occupantsof the vehicles, we provide means for reversing the direction of travelofthe said vehicles and also to make them swing about each other at timeof such reversals. To accomplish this, we so invention.

shape the slot 34: that when the pin 3''? of the eccentric rodisxshifted to the other end. of the slot, all of the tongueswill besimul taneously shifted to a position which would be equivalent to thosewhich they wouldoccupy with a half revolution of the wheels 16 and'17,but without shifting the position of the Vehicles. The slot 3% extendsto opposite sides of the shaft 18, so that the connection of theconnecting rod and its pin with the casting as having the said slotprovides a lever action upon the vertical shaft 13 to rock it and thisis so, whether the pin is shiftedto one or the otherend of the slot. Theresult of thisshifting of the tongues will then cause; thevehicles to betransferred from one ofthe sinuous slots to the other, that is to say,the vehicles 25 which formerly traversed clockwise will now traversecontra-clockwise and vice versa. This shifting of the pin 37 may beaccomplished by the adjusting of thelever 39 over the segment 41. Whilewe have shown one form of means for changing the relative, diameters ofshifting the: tongues in the particular direction, we do not wish toconfine ourselves to any particular mechanism for accomplishing thispurpose, as many equivalent devicesimay be devised for securing-theseresults. It is, however, important thatthere shall be connecting meansfor shifting the tongues which shall coop 'erate in timed relation withthe rotation of the wheels 16 and 17 It will now be apparent that wehave devised a novel and useful construction ,which embodies thefeatures of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while we have inthepresentinstance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereofwhich has beenfound in practice to give satisfactory and reliableresults, it is to be understood that we donot restrict ourselves to thedetails, as the same are susceptible of modification in variousparticulars without departing from the spirit 'Or scope of the Havingnow described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1 In an amusement apparatus, a floor having two crossingv endlessslotted tracks of sinuous form whichtogether provide a circular coursewith lateral sinuosities therein, a vehicle supported above the floorand havinga downward projection extending through the slots and guidedthereby, power devicesarranged below the floor and coacting with thedownward projection from the vehicle whereby the latter is propelledalong the sinuous slot, guiding tongues or switches arranged at thecrossing points of the two sets of endless sinuous slots for directingthe movement of the vehicles from one slot into the other or vice versato change the direcprojection from the tion of travel of the vehicle,and automatic means independent of the vehicles for intermittentlyshifting-the tongues at intervals of time and before the vehicles reachthe slot lateral sinuosities therein. arranged in a floor, a vehiclesupported above the floor and having a downward projection extendingthrough the slot and guided'thereby, power devices arranged below thefloor and coacting with the downward projection from the vehicle wherebythe latter is propelled along the sinuous slot, asecond endless sinuousslot crossing the first mentioned endless sinuous slot at intervals,guiding tongues or switches arranged at the crossing points of the twosets of endless sinuous slots for directing the vehicle from one slotinto the other or vice versa to change the direction of travel ofthevehicle, and automatic means for intermittently shifting the tongues atintervals of time and in which the means for-shifting the tongues withmanually controlled devices for changing the time of shifting thetongues relatively to the travel of the vehicle. v

3. In anamusement apparatus, an endless slotted track forming a circularcourse with lateral sinuosities therein arranged in a floor, a vehiclesupported above the floor and having a downward projection extendingthrough the slot and guided thereby, power devices arranged below thefloorand coacting with the downward projection from-the vehicle wherebythe latter is propelled along the sinuous slot, a second endless sinuousslot crossing the first mentioned endless sinuous 7 the slot atintervals, guiding tongues or switches arranged at the crossing pointsof the two sets of endless sinuous slotsfor directing the projectionfrom the'vehicle from one slot into the other or vice versa to changethe direction of travel of the vehicle, and auto-- niaticmeans forintermittently shifting the tongues at intervals of time and in whichthe means for shifting the tongues comprise an eccentric, a rod operatedthereby, and means between the rod and the tongues for givingto them anoscillatory motion.

4. The invention according 'to claim 2, wherein the means for shiftingthe tongues comprise an eccentric, an eccentric rod there for, meansbetween the eccentric rod and the tongues comprising a transverse guidepivoted intermediate or" its ends, and manually controlled devicesarranged for shifting the eccentric rod into mechanical connection witheither end of the transverse guide, whereby the point of action of therod may be shifted from one side of the axial point of transverseguideto the other side thereof, and vice versa.

5. In an amusement apparatus, an endlessv propelled by the powerdevices,

slotted track forming a circular course with lateral sinuosities thereinarranged 111 a floor, a vehicle supported above the floor and having adownward projection extending through the slot and guided'thereby, powerdevices arranged below the floor andcoacting with the downwardprojection from the vehicle whereby the latter is propelled along secondendless sinuous mentioned endless s1nuthe sinuous slot, a slot crossingthe first ousslot at'intervals, guiding tongues or switches arranged atthe crossing points of mg motion, said slotted frame movable with thepivoted tongues and the slot therefor having a cam shape relative to itsaxis, and manually controlled means for adjusting the position of theeccentric rod in the "slot,

whereby said adjustment will cause the tongue to be oscillated to changeits relative position with respectto the sinuous slots.

6. In an amusement apparatus, an' endless slotted track forming'acircular course with the lateral sinuosities therein arranged in afloor, a vehicle supported above the floor and having a downwardprojection extending through the slot and guided thereby, power devicesarranged below the floor and coacting with the downward projection fromthe vehicle whereby the latter is propelled'along the sinuous slot, asecond endless sinuous slot crossing the first mentioned endless slot atintervals, an additional vehicle also supported above the floor andhaving a downward projection. extending through the last mentionedsinuous slot and guided thereby and guiding tongues or switches arrangedat the crossing points of the two sets of endless sinuousslots andalternately pointing radially in opposite directions for directing theprojections from the vehicles along the respective sinuous the guidingtongues or switchesin advance pivoted slotted frame in which the end ofthe eccentric rod has a slid-' of the vehicles reaching the crossingpoints a of the sinuous slots.

'TQThe invention according to claim 6, wherein the crossing sinuousslots provide a series oi circular portions arranged in a circle andopening intoeach other, and in which the power devices below the sinuousslots comprise a plurality of overlapping wheels having notched beveledperipheries arranged immediately below the circular slotted portions ofthe sinuous slots and with the beveled portions rolling in relativelyclose relation, and gearing between the plurality of notched beveledWheels for causing said wheels to rotate and with adjacent Wheelsrotating in opposite directions.

8. The invention according to claim 6, further having hand controlledmeans for changing the normal position of the tongues relatively to theslots and independent of the vehicles whereby the guiding action uponthe pins of the vehicles will cause said vehicles to be transferred fromone sinuous slot to the other and reverse their direction of travel. v

Intestimony of which invention, unto set our hands.

' FRANCIS SABOT. ALBERT SCHALK.

We here-

